I Remember Who I Am

“What did you remember?” I blurted. My voice cracked and it sounded too loud in the quiet cave. The atmosphere was so cold and I could barely breathe.

 The fire that was set at the training ground, was the only thing that kept me warm as the fire popped gradually.

Kael’s face looked strange. His silver eyes were shiny but not in a nice way. I don’t like that. “Kael,” I said again, my voice squeaky, “please talk to me. What did you mean?” 

He finally said it, real slow. “I remember who I am.” in a low voice.

Then nothing. Just silence. My ears buzzed like after a shout. I pulled my knees up and bit my lip.

Kael stood up so fast I flinched. He started walking back and forth, his boots scraping the dirt, his shoulders tight like he might break. “Kael,” I whispered, “you’re scaring me.”

He stopped and stared into the fire for forever. Then he said it like it hurt. “I was a king.”

My heart thudded. “A… king?” My voice sounded tiny.

He turned toward me. His silver eyes glowed and I swear they looked sad and angry at the same time. “The last Lycan King. I remember my family. My pack. And the night Selene cursed me. She didn’t just take my crown. She took me. She wanted to erase me like I never existed.” She is evil.

My pendant felt hot. I grabbed it through my shirt. “That’s why she’s after you.”

“Yes.” His voice was sharper now. “And she knows where we are. She’s coming.”

I swallowed hard. My throat felt dry. “Then we run.”

He shook his head, slow, scary. “No. If we keep running she wins. And if she finds you and you still can’t control what’s inside you…” He stopped and clenched his fists. “You have to fight.”

My hands were still sore from training. They shook. “What if I mess it up?”

Kael looked at me a long time, his face softer now. “Then we try again. Until you don’t.”

I stood up even though my legs wobbled. “Then teach me.”

His mouth curved just a little. “At dawn.”

Dawn was horrible. The grass was wet and my boots were soaked right away. My fingers were cold but Kael didn’t care. “Again,” he said after he knocked me down.

“I think you like this!” I yelled, but I still got up.

“Faster this time,” he said, and maybe he was smiling. I couldn’t tell because my hair was in my face.

I kept falling but I kept standing too. Every time it hurt less. Every time I felt a little stronger. When the sun finally peeked through the trees, I was sweaty and covered in dirt, but I wasn’t crying. Kael tossed me water. “Better,” he said.

And I believed him.

That night he took me to a clearing. The stars were huge and bright like they were watching me. “Tonight we call your wolf,” he said.

I shook my head. “Last time I—”

“You survived,” he cut in. “You’ll survive again. Trust me.”

I closed my eyes. My wolf was there right away, waiting. Then the fire came. My skin lit up, silver and hot. My breath came fast but I didn’t push it away this time. I let it stay.

“Good,” Kael said, quiet. “Now hold it.”

I bit my lip, squeezing my hands into fists. The fire stayed around me, close, glowing like a shield. It didn’t explode. It just… stayed. When I opened my eyes Kael was staring like I’d done magic.

“You did it,” he said.

I smiled, shaking all over. “I did.”

Then everything went too quiet. No birds. No wind. Kael’s head whipped toward the trees. “We’re not alone.”

A laugh came from the dark, soft and cold. My fire flared. Selene walked out like she’d been hiding there all along waiting for a perfect entrance. Her hair looked silver in the moon and her smile made my stomach twist.

“Well, well,” she said, slow and mean. “Look at you. Playing with fire.”

I didn’t hide behind Kael. “I’m not scared of you,” I said, even though my knees were shaking.

Selene’s smile got bigger. “You should be. Fear is sweet.” infact I love it when they care about fear but don't show it. It looks interesting.

Her magic made the air go dark and lighting. My fire burned hotter. Kael’s hand brushed mine and it made my heart beat slower.

“Easy,” he said.

But I didn’t want easy. The fire wrapped tighter around me until everything was silver-bright. Selene’s eyes flashed before she laughed like broken glass.

“Oh, little sister,” she said. “You really might burn it all.”

Then she was gone. Just her laugh stayed.

My fire faded. My knees hit the dirt and Kael was right there, holding my shoulder.

“Breathe,” he said softly. “You did good.”

I nodded, still shaking. “She’s coming.”

“Yes,” Kael said, his silver eyes glowing. “But next time we’ll b

e ready.”

And for the first time, I kind of believed him. And I kind of believed me too.